if you got here thru an email and pics aren’t appearing, Click on “New plant offerings” above to go to our BLOG direct. Don’t worry it’s us…Mark Stavish…Eastern Plant. This paragraph will still show after you’ve gone to the blog

GREETINGS…from your nursery on the coast of Maine! A new gardening year is upon us. It’s time to order plants now for later delivery…please see our plant categories starting with the word “available” …that are either on the left or bottom of the page. Be it groundcovers, ferns wildflowers, Rhodos, and natives…Eastern has tough, field grown plants with one of the highest success rates…since 1984.

Here are just a few NEW ITEMS you don’t want to miss. There will be many more NEW ADDITIONS announced later...but don’t wait to order these.

BROOM SEDGE Andropogon virginicus Glomeratus

A VERY NEAT ORNAMENTAL ‘GRASS‘

A TRULY EXCITING plant for fall and winter interest with dramatic copper color in autumn. (Technically this is not a grass) Rarely seen in gardens, even rarer for sale, yet an easy plant to grow. Clumps of grassy foliage to about a foot may go unnoticed til fall, when dramatic spikes of flowers rise on stalks to two feet or more. The mature seed pods resemble clusters of old fashioned little brooms atop vertical stems. Highly ornamental…they last from Sep into spring swaying in the breeze becoming fuzzy later in winter. This very adaptable plant is fine in wet or average soils, best in sun. A splendid native for winter interest in meadows, shrub borders and native plantings for sustained color when there isn’t much going on. Much more appealing than so many of the common ornamental grasses. Try some! Happy in zones 5-8.

Half gallon equivalent, each $9.95 3 for $27 6 for $51 12 for $99 They look best in irregular groups…buy a bunch.

TO ORDER, EMAIL YOUR WISH LIST TO easternplant@juno.com We will get back to you…include your phone.

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AMERICAN HOLLY Ilex opaca

SPECIAL PLANTS FROM NORTHERN PART OF RANGE!

Really one of the nicest natives yet hard to find. These are grown from plants near the northern limit of their range in northern NJ…which will give them extra hardiness…an important note. You are getting genetically tougher plants. They will grow in zones 5-8. This “old fashioned” plant has tons of beauty. Holly will tolerate heavier soils and even somewhat wet spots. NOTHING BEATS THE RED BERRY DISPLAY OF HOLLY IN WINTER. Even without berries, the lustrous, evergreen foliage is colorful all year. Great as a specimen, hedging and screening. Ultimately they form a columnar, pyramidal shape to 20 feet…though that takes many years…and they can be pruned. As they get older branches can be cut for holiday arrangements. These are probably the ONLY HOLLY you can buy that are not greenhouse grown…that’s important…they will live…as they’ve lived outside their whole lives. Fine in most zone 5 thru 8 climates and prefers average to moist soil. Give some shade in far northern areas.

Three year olds 6 inch…$13 each or 3 for $29 6 for $49 Five year olds 8-12 inch $16 or…3 for $45 6 for $79

TO ORDER …just email your wish list to easternplant@juno.com. Include your phone number.

Our exclusive form blooms from head to toe! Nothing beats this for summer fragrance. An easy plant in full sun to half shade and it tolerates wet and clay soils. Bright green, finely serrated soft foliage fills a multilayered, upright columnar plant to about 6-8 feet with gently cascading limbs. In August, bright white panicles of flowers light the end of every stem…and release a fragrance best described as cinnamon-vanilla apple pie! NOTHING BEATS ITS HEAVENLY AROMA WAFTING THRU THE GARDEN! Fall color is a cheery bright yellow. Excellent as specimen, in shrub borders and any native plant garden. Established plants grown outside. Limited quantities. Happy in zones zones 5-8.

16-24 inch each $16.95 or 3 for $26 6 for $45. 24-32 inch each $24.95 or 3 for $45 or 6 for $85 inquire for larger quantities.

This aromatic mounding plant to two or three feet is in the bayberry family and is delightful in shrub borders, meadows or as a specimen. Ornamental dangling catkins in spring. Graceful and carefree. Highly drought tolerant, thrives in sandy, gravelly or average soils. Troublefree in zones 3-7. 8-15 inches each $13.95 3 for $39

WE ARE KNOWN FOR OUR WILDFLOWERS These must be ordered early. See “Available Wildflowers”

THE FOLLOWING WILDFLOWERS ARE AVAILABLE TO ORDER THIS SPRING. PLEASE ORDER NOW, EARLY.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLANT….PAUSE…..WHERE IT CAN BE GROWN …AND THAT’S THE POINT OF THIS ARTICLE. WE OFFER THIS FINE PLANT BUT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CONDITIONS.

Like many great plants, most nurseries don’t tell the downside or the total truth …they just try to sell and don’t really care if it dies once it gets to you. We care.

EASTERN PLANT GIVES THE FACTS …SO, ALL ABOUT LINGONBERRY!

There are TWO types of Mountain cranberry, also called LINGONBERRY. Both are hard to grow but one is a bit easier and that’s the one we sell: Vaccinium vitis idea minor. It is native in the northern hemisphere globally, in cool summer areas, like here in Maine and Alaska. It has a smaller leaf than the other form called ‘Major’ which is more local in its distribution but common in Scandinavia. Major has a larger leaf and berries. It is sold by many other nurseries but is very hard to grow and there are named varieties of it. Be careful, we only sell “minor” at this time as it’s much easier..

Below pic showing the cololrful fruit display. The berries are edible and nutritious.

The Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea minus), above, is one of two plants that play a large role in the subsistence economy of boreal Alaska. The other is bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum). This is a highly underused plant and has real commercial value, as well as being a great groundcover, where it can be grown.

In bloom …delightful flowers, similar to blueberry flowers. (closely related)

WHAT LINGONBERRY NEEDS TO GROW WELL

Acid, naturally peaty soil, damp and or

Acid, sandy, gravelly soil with some natural peaty material on top

No clay

Fair amount of light, even full sun

No competition from other plants-mosses are ok

No digging around it or walking anywhere near its roots. Remember, the biggest killer of all plants in this family is soil compaction!

I just saw that Stark Bros sells it in quart pots for twenty bucks…I won’t say rip off, but … and it’s not just them, most places sell it for outrageous prices. Just as important, those other nurseries do not tell you it can’t grow well in warm climates. Also most of those plants sold by the other nurseries, well, they aren’t growing it. They have them shipped in from the pacific NW and while I love those places, West coast grown Ligonberry in general, just doesn’t adapt well in the east …it’s a fact. The Lingonberry you get from us at Eastern Plant is grown here in Maine, outside!

MOUNTAIN CRANBERRY-LINGONBERRY is a a scarce evergreen creeper with edible fruit. It needs coolish summers so is great for New Eng. and upper midwest. We grow this in the ground, making it MUCH MORE adaptable than any others grown in pots-remember to ask that if you get it elsewhere-we hope you don’t. The tiny waxy shiny leaves are on multitudes of stems to 5 inches high. In late spring, dangling pink bell flowers adorn the plant, later giving way to edible red berries that are great in jams or eating raw. It is much in demand in Europe for its edible berries. Just remember, it NEEDS acid peaty soil and half sun. Thrives in New England and can be grown in zones 3-6, see the list of states above

6 inch sod $12.95 3 for $30 6 for $57 12 for $99

To order just email us easternplant@juno.com

Dr “Oz” a few years back talked about this plant on his show; discussing the plants medicinal values and edible fruit were discussed. We received many calls after that from people wanting to order it. We told everyone of its needs and only sold it to northern areas – so we actually turned away many potential sales. We care

As far as its medicinal properties, some references say the leaves are antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, used in arthritis, rheumatism, diabetes and other ailments. The leaves are gathered in early summer and dried for later use. The mature fruits are eaten fresh or dried as a remedy for diarrhea and as a treatment for sore throats, coughs and colds. NOTE WE MAKE NO CLAIMS any of these uses actually work.

Below: in Scandinavia, Lingonberry jam is a staple, used as topping on pancakes, breads and many pastries. It is available here in the U.S. if you look around. You can grow some and make your own.

ABOVE: There it is growing wild in Maine. Note how there is just a little natural mulch around it. DON’T OVER mulch as it kills most plants, but kills them slowly, so in many cases it’s hard to “make the connection.”

What vitis-idaea means is a good guess. The standard interpretation by botanists who only speak English is that it means “Cow Grape from Mt. Ida” (in Greece.) Another view is that it means “Dark Red Grape of Mt. Ida”. Ιδία (ee-THEE-ah) in Greek means above all and the Lingonberry, which likes to hug the arctic circle, certainly grows above all

Each Spring, when the snow melts away, one of the first plants to appear is this favorite little groundcover with a long Latin name. Vaccinium vitis-idaeassp. minus and we have large patches of it. Also known as ‘northern mountain cranberry,’ you can tell by its Latin name that it is a member of the blueberry family. Among its relatives are Vaccinium macrocarpon, the American cranberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, the lowbush blueberry,

The mountain cranberry grows in northern climates as an understory plant in a variety of forest habitats and is able to survive poor soils and harsh conditions. In its native habitat, it can often go unnoticed. It also grows in what are called heaths here in Maine. Heaths are highly acid, open areas with plants in the ericacaous family. The areas are often damp yet it also grows wild in mountainous areas: hikers and climbers usually spot it as they’re sitting on a rock, trying desperately to catch their breath, while cursing whoever it was that talked them into such a difficult climb in the first place. In the wild, the small berries of mountain cranberry are an important food source for a variety of birds and mammals. The berries are also palatable for humans and, in Japan and Europe, the fruit is widely processed and marketed; its a staple in Scandinavian diets.

In our garden we have mountain cranberry planted in soil that contains heavy amounts of sand and gravel. Here in our Zone 5, the plant has had no problem with the cold winters.

Look at the gorgeous fall and winter color above

The plant is evergreen and at this time of the year, the foliage of mountain cranberry takes on a wonderful burgundy tint. As for warm summer days plantings don’t seem to be bothered at all with summer heat here in Maine. They are all in full sun, with a good mulch of pea gravel which helps to retain adequate moisture.

Mountain cranberry is very low growing (2-4 inches) and grows in dense rhizomatous colonies that typically form mats. The roots are extremely fine, fibrous, and shallow growing and so, until established do not let it dry out. Flowering occurs in late May. It’s not the kind of plant that will stop photographers in their tracks, but the small, pinkish, bell-shaped flowers are quite attractive as they appear in little clusters at the end of branch tips; fruit ripens in late August, early September.

This is a polite plant that minds its manners, is easy to control. Once established, mountain cranberry makes a beautiful spreading evergreen groundcover that brings with it both flower and fruit. The key is leaving it alone, not walking near it, and giving it the right soil

Because Lingonberries are plentiful in the forested areas of the Swedish inland, they are widely collected for jam. It has always been very popular with traditional dishes. Today, Lingonberries are often served as jam, for instance with oven-made thick pancakes, or they may be served as a relish with meat courses, they are even served with fried herring. The jam is also often used on mashed potatoes and the traditional oatmeal porridge, sometimes together with cinnaomon and perhaps, a little sugar.

Here are some Lingonberry jam tidbits: Fine Lingonberry jam is prepared only with berries, sugar and, optionally, a small amount of water. Cheaper varieties are diluted with apples and/or pectin. The finest Lingonberry “jam” is prepared fresh by just mixing berries and sugar, without boiling; this is called rårörda lingonor rørte tyttebær (raw-stirred lingonberries). Before the use of refined sugar became common in Sweden, lingonberry jam was prepared with lingonberries as the only ingredient. Because of the Benzoic acid, which is found in high amounts in Lingonberries, the berries keep well without any sugar or other preservatives.